Digitalis hybrid plant named ‘Rising Phoenix’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of  Digitalis  interspecific hybrid plant named ‘Rising Phoenix’ is characterized by sturdy, upright flowering habit with dark-green, serrate foliage and densely-branched flower stems with flowers that are open-faced, campanulate, self-cleaning, non-secund, deep raspberry-pink with light peach interior and long-blooming. The flowers produce an abundance of nectar and are attractive to hummingbirds in the landscape. The new plant is useful in the garden landscape, as a container plant or as a cut flower.

Botanical designation: Digitalis x valanii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Rising Phoenix’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(B)(6)

The first non-enabling disclosures are a posting on Feb. 1, 2021 byWalters Gardens, Inc. on their website and a brief description andphotograph in the “Walters Gardens 2021-2022 Catalog” first distributedon May 21, 2021. Information for these plants was obtained from theinventor. No plants of Digitalis ‘Rising Phoenix’ have been sold, inthis country or anywhere in the world nor has any disclosure of the newplant been made more than one year prior to the filing date of thisapplication, and such disclosure within one year was obtained eitherdirectly or indirectly from the inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybridplant, botanically known as Digitalis purpurea x Digitalis canariensis.The new Digitalis x valinii ‘Rising Phoenix’ is the product of a plannedbreeding program conducted by the inventor at a wholesale perennialnursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA. The objective of the breeding programwas to create novel interspecific hybrid cultivars between Digitalispurpurea and Digitalis canariensis with excellent flowers, foliage andhabit.

The new interspecific Digitalis hybrid was a planned cross between aproprietary, spotted, selection of the seed cultivar Digitalis purpurea‘Foxy’ (not patented) as the female or seed parent times a proprietaryselection of Digitalis canariensis (not patented) as the male or pollenparent January of 2012 and later assigned the breeder code of 12-03-02.After further evaluation ‘Rising Phoenix’ was selected as a single plantfrom among several hundred crosses between various forms of suchDigitalis x valinii hybrids and first asexually propagated by basalshoot cuttings in the summer of 2013 at the same wholesale perennialnursery in Zeeland, Mich. The new plant has since also been successfullyasexually propagated by sterile shoot tip tissue culture. All of theresultant asexually propagated plants by cuttings and tissue culturehave remained stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the hybrid plant cultivar Digitalis x valinii ‘Rising Phoenix’have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such asfertilizer, temperature, light intensity and photoperiod and plantgrowth regulators without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits in combination with one another have beenrepeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristicsof ‘Rising Phoenix’:

-   -   1. Sturdy, upright flowering habit;    -   2. Moderate number of stiff basal branches extending bloom        season from spring until frost;    -   3. Medium, open-faced, campanulate-formed, horizontal-facing,        long-blooming, self-cleaning, non-secund flowers of deep        raspberry-pink with light peach insides;    -   4. Broad, dark-green, sparsely-pubescent, basal and cauline,        serrate leaves.

Plants of the new Digitalis can be compared to the female parent,Digitalis purpurea ‘Foxy’ has longer, broader fertile flowers of purple,without the light peach inside color, on shorter plants, the petal lobeapices are rounded and the flowering season is shorter. The male parenthas dark, glossy, glabrous foliage with shrub-like habit with lessbranching of the flower stems, and the flowers are deeper reddish-orangein color with a larger lower lip on darker stems. The new plant is alsomore herbaceous producing more basal rosettes and branches than the maleparent which is less branched and more shrub-like.

Other closely comparable plants include, ‘Berry Canary’ U.S. Plant Pat.No. 27,607, ‘Firebird’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,840, ‘Flame’ (notpatented), ‘Falcon Fire’ (not patented) and ‘Firecracker’ U.S. PlantPat. No. 32,975. ‘Berry Canary’ has a shorter habit and larger flowersof hot pink with light yellow throats with burgundy speckling.‘Firebird’ has a taller habit, and flowers of coppery-pink with softorange throats having pinkish purple spotting. ‘Flame’ has a taller andbroader habit with smaller flowers with a more orangish-red in theoutside and peachy-orange in the inside with orangish-red spotting.‘Falcon Fire’ has a larger habit with flower petals having an outersurface color of deep pink with and the inner surface of mango-orangeand dark wine-colored spotting. ‘Firecracker’ has smaller and narrowerflowers that are vivid orange-yellow with a blush of rosy-pink, and thepetal lobe apices are all acute.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the overall appearance ofthe plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum,source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation incolor. The plants used in the drawings are second-year growing plantsfollowing a vernalization period of about 8 weeks, grown in a greenhouseat a wholesale nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental fertilizerbut without plant growth regulators.

FIG. 1 shows the plant compact, dense, upright, flowering habit of atwo-year-old plant.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers and buds on the scape.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Digitalis x valinii‘Rising Phoenix’, has not been observed under all possible environments.The phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions,such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, butwithout any change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of two-year-old plants in the greenhouses of a nurseryin Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental fertilizer and water as needed.

-   Parentage: Female, or seed parent an unreleased selection of    Digitalis purpurea ‘Foxy’; male, or pollen parent an unnamed,    unreleased, proprietary selection of Digitalis canariensis;-   Propagation method: Shoot tip cuttings and sterile shoot tip plant    tissue culture division.-   Root description: Fine, freely branching; color creamy-white,    nearest RHS 15D;-   Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About two weeks;-   Crop time: Under normal cool spring growing conditions of 12° to 15°    C., finished flowering plants can be obtained in about 8 to 10 weeks    from a vernalized 25 mm plug;-   Plant vigor: Very good;-   Plant habit: Perennial, winter hardy from at least USDA zone 8    through 10 but capable of growing in colder regions as an annual;    upright and dense; leaves basally whorled, cauline dextrorse to    alternate and tightly arranged; with branching on nearly every node    below individual flowers;-   Main stem: Stiff and erect; about 105.0 cm long and 1.8 cm diameter    at base; densely and finely puberulent; cylindrical with basal    portion having thick ridges extended from central leaf veins; length    of ridges extends to next lower leaf directly below; with basal    branches and axillary branches;-   Main stem color: Variable, nearest RHS 187B proximally and distally    with some portions receiving low light exposure between RHS 145A and    RHS 146D;-   Branch color: Nearest RHS 187B with portions in less intense light    exposure with undertones of nearest RHS 146C;-   Nodes: About 32 per main stem before unbranched flowers; about 12.0    mm apart in lower stem below individual flower and 4.7 mm apart in    upper portion of individual flowers;-   Node color: In long light nearest RHS 146D with portions receiving    higher light exposure moderately to lightly blushed nearest RHS    178B;-   Branches: Outwardly in proximal portion, then upright next to main    stem; to about 48 cm long and 9.0 mm diameter; densely puberulent;    about 4 main branches per plant from lower nodes and 8 branches in    upper nodes below individual flowers; color same as main stem;-   Foliage: Basally whorled and ovate; cauline dextrorse to alternate    and lanceolate sessile; acute apex and attenuate sessile base;    puberulent on abaxial surface and glabrous adaxial; serrate and    glabrous margin; slightly lustrous adaxial, slightly lustrous to    matte abaxial;-   Leaf size: Basal to about 24.0 cm long at base and 14.5 cm wide at    widest point near base, cauline to about 23.0 cm long and 14.0 cm    wide, decreasing distally; about 16 leaves per main stem below    initial flowers;-   Leaf blade color: Basal and cauline adaxial nearest RHS NN137A,    basal and cauline abaxial nearest RHS 147B;-   Veins: Pinnate; puberulent abaxial and sparsely puberulent adaxial;    costate on abaxial and slightly impressed adaxial;-   Vein color: Adaxial midrib and proximal primary veins nearest RHS    145A, secondary and distal veins nearest RHS NN137A; abaxial midrib    and proximal primary veins between RHS 145C and RHS 148C, proximal    primary veins nearest RHS 146C, secondary veins and distal primary    veins nearest RHS 137B;-   Flower: Single; perfect; complete; campanulate; zygomorphic; total    corolla average size 44.0 mm long and face opening to 33.0 mm across    and 38.0 mm tall, with basal 29.0 mm of corolla tube fused and to    about 20.0 mm wide and 17.0 mm tall at fusion; with four main lobes,    two side lobes smallest and nearly perpendicular to upper and lower    lobes; two side lobes about 9.0 mm wide at fusion and 9.0 mm long    from fusion with broadly-acute, slightly reflexed, slightly    downwardly pointed apex and micro-ciliolate margin; upper lobe about    20.0 mm wide at fusion and 17.0 mm long beyond fusion, flat, with    rounded micro-ciliolate apex; lowest lobe about 17.0 mm wide at    fusion and 19.0 mm long beyond fusion, apex typically rounded with    slightly revolute and micro-ciliolate; speckling present on adaxial    petal surfaces of lower and side lobe surfaces, dorsal and side    inner corolla tube adaxial surfaces, on distal abaxial lower lobe in    spots between 0.1 mm diameter and 0.7 mm diameter; speckling absent    on adaxial and abaxial of upper lobe and abaxial side lobes;    sparsely puberulent to glandular on abaxial surfaces and pubescent    on adaxial surfaces of middle portion of lower lobe; upper lobe and    side lobes glabrous on adaxial surface; not persistent,    self-cleaning; produces large amount of nectar;-   Flower number: To about 70 per main stem, to about 39 per lateral    lower branch and 5 per lateral upper branch;-   Flower bud: Oblong flattened tubular; to about 31.0 mm long and 14.0    mm wide near middle and about 8.0 mm tall near apex, constricting in    basal 5.0 mm to about 6.0 mm diameter; apex and base rounded;-   Flower bud color: Dorsal and side lobes nearest RHS 61A, ventral    lobe variable between RHS 71A in distal one-quarter and middle    two-thirds of dorsal lobe between RHS 71A and RHS 158A; proximal    corolla tube under sepals nearest RHS 158B;-   Flower color: Varies with maturity; shortly after opening — ventral    abaxial nearest RHS 72A in distal margin, proximally blotchy between    RHS NN155B and blend between RHS NN155B and RHS 72A and sparsely    spotted with nearest RHS 187C, dorsal abaxial between RHS 71A and    RHS 72A, proximal 2.0 mm of corolla tube nearest RHS 145C, and    adaxial distally between RHS 72A and RHS 71A along perimeter of each    lobe, upper lobe between RHS 11D and RHS 11C, abaxial side and lower    lobe nearest RHS 11C with spots of nearest RHS 187B; at pollen    dehiscence about five days after opening — abaxial dorsal between    RHS 186A and RHS 186B, abaxial ventral proximal margin nearest RHS    158D with moderate to strong blush of nearest RHS 186A and sparse    spots of nearest RHS 187B distally, adaxial upper lobe nearest RHS    186A at distal margin and a blend between RHS 23D and RHS 18C in the    center portion, side and lower lobes nearest RHS 186A at margin,    nearest RHS N172 C just inside margin and central portion between    RHS 158A and RHS 168D with spots nearest RHS 187B, basal 5 mm of    adaxial and abaxial corolla tube nearest RHS 145D;-   Inflorescence: Average size main unbranched stem portion to about    48.0 cm long and 10.0 cm wide;-   Flower bract: Lanceolate; sharply acute apex and truncate to rounded    sessile base; margin finely serrated proximally and ciliolate    proximally and distally; adaxial and abaxial finely puberulent; to    about 40.0 mm long and 15.5 mm across near base, decreasing    distally;-   Flower bract color: Adaxial nearest RHS NN137B, abaxial nearest RHS    147B;-   Natural flowering season: Early summer through frost;-   Flower longevity: Individual flowers on plant lasting about 7 to 10    days; main flower spike stays in flower for at least three months    under ideal conditions;-   Fragrance: None detected;-   Sepals: Five; persistent; lanceolate; acute apex, truncate base,    entire and micro-ciliolate margin; micro-puberulent abaxial and    adaxial; about 12.0 mm long and 5.0 mm across at middle, decreasing    in distal flowers;-   Sepal color: Adaxial nearest RHS 137A, abaxial RHS 137B with    portions having high anthocyanin pigmentation to nearest RHS 187A;-   Peduncle: Strong, erect; puberulent; to about 54.0 cm long and 10.0    mm in diameter below first flowers;-   Peduncle color: Nearest RHS 187B with portions in less intense light    exposure with undertones of nearest RHS 146C;-   Pedicel: Puberulent; cylindrical; erect to 60 degree angle above    horizontal at flower anthesis; to 23.0 mm long and 2.2 mm diameter,    decreasing with distal flowers;-   Pedicel color: Nearest RHS 146C;-   Gynoecium: Single; about 26.0 mm long;    -   -   Style.—Cylindrical; positioned along adaxial upper lobe;            slightly lustrous; about 16.0 mm long and gradually tapering            from ovary to stigma to about 0.7 mm diameter; color in            young and mature flower center portion nearest RHS 186C,            distally toward stigma and proximally toward ovary nearest            RHS 185A.        -   Stigma.—Bifid in distal 0.5 mm; to about 1.0 mm long and            about 0.5 mm wide; color nearest RHS NN155B.        -   Ovary.—Superior; puberulent to glandular; slightly lustrous;            long, conical, apex tapering to meet style, base truncate;            about 9.0 mm long and 4.5 mm across at base; color nearest            RHS N144D.-   Androecium: Four, didynamous; further extending set dehiscing first;    -   -   Filaments.—Four; cylindrical with basal 7.0 mm portion of            both sets flattened and adnate along inside of corolla tube;            about 27.0 mm and 31.0 mm long and 1.0 mm across at base;            color between RHS 64B and RHS 64A.        -   Anther.—Dorsifixed; folded in middle prior to dehiscence;            each half about 4.0 mm long and each half about 1.5 mm            across; color prior to dehiscence nearest RHS 12B.        -   Pollen.—Abundant; dust-like; color nearest RHS 11D.-   Fruit: Mature seed pods rarely produced;-   Seed: Viable seed production has not yet been observed;-   Disease and pest resistance or tolerance: ‘Rising Phoenix’ is not    normally bothered by rodents or deer in the landscape. Disease or    pest resistance beyond that typical of other Digitalis hybrids has    not been noted. The new plant performs best in full sun with good    drainage and regular watering.-   Hardiness: The new plant is winter hardy to approximately USDA zone    8, but requires a vernalization period for best flower production.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Digitalis hybrid plantnamed ‘Rising Phoenix’ as illustrated and described.